Sesame Crusted Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

I love tofu and am always taken aback when I hear people dismissing it as something just for vegetarians. I recently read a great article from Food52 titled ‘In Defense of Tofu’ that sums up what a versatile ingredient it can be. Well-pressed tofu that has been marinated and pan fried with a flavorful sauce is a wonderful, healthy, inexpensive way to enjoy dinner.

The key is to have well-pressed tofu, something that can be a bit of a pain.

I don’t do a lot of product reviews these days. I pretty much have everything I need in the kitchen so I turn down a lot of offers. But once in awhile something comes along that I think is really cool. And if *I* think it’s cool, I hope that means you’ll find it interesting as well. When Ben from EZ Tofu Press contacted me about doing a review and giveaway I was immediately intrigued. This was a something I could really use.

Below is a phone picture taken last year demonstrating how I used to press the water out of tofu. I referred to it as “The Leaning Tower of Tofu.”

Occasionally dishes would come crashing down. Paper towels were wasted and the process could take over an hour. Compare that with this photo taken a few days ago where I used the EZ Tofu Press:

I think this is such a cool, sturdy gadget. It’s incredibly effective and I can’t believe I’d never used something like it in the past. The tofu is completely pressed in less than 15 minutes and no paper towels are wasted. It’s dishwasher friendly, which I always appreciate. I used the pressed tofu to prepare a recipe for Sesame Crusted Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing which you’ll find below. The pressed tofu really absorbed the marinade beautifully and the final results were exactly what I was hoping for; a crunchy sesame exterior with a dense, tasty tofu. Can you make this dish without the EZ Tofu Press? Certainly, but this tool makes the entire process easier, faster and less wasteful.

5 from 1 vote

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Sesame Crusted Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Prep Time

1hrs

Cook Time

10mins

Total Time

1hrs10mins

Course:
Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine:
American, Japanese

Servings: 3-4 salads

Author: Jennifer Farley

Ingredients

Marinated sesame tofu:

1block extra firm tofu packed in water

2clovesgarlic,smashed

2tablespoonstoasted sesame oil

2tablespoonssoy sauce

2tablespoonsseasoned rice wine vinegar

1teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes

1/4cuptoasted sesame seeds

1 1/2tablespoonsblack sesame seeds

Spicy peanut dressing:

2tablespoonspeanut butter

1tablespoonsoy sauce

1/2tablespoontoasted sesame oil

1tablespoonseasoned rice vinegar

1/2tablespoonsriracha hot sauce

1/2teaspoonhoney(use light agave nectar for vegan)

1tablespoonwater

Additional ingredients:

mixed greens

3-4tablespoonsroasted unsalted peanuts

3-4tablespoonsscallions,sliced thin

Instructions

Press as much water out of the tofu as possible. Slice into square cubes.

Add the garlic, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes and cubed tofu to a large plastic bag (do not add the sesame seeds or dressing ingredients). Seal and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

While the tofu is marinating, whisk together the spicy peanut dressing ingredients and set aside.

Mix together the toasted and black sesame seeds in a small bowl. Dredge each piece of tofu in the sesame seeds (I only dredged two sides).

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium low heat. You can add a small amount of oil or cooking spray but the sesame oil in the marinade should prevent sticking. Add the tofu and allow it to brown a bit before flipping sides. Periodically swirl the tofu around and keep an eye on the heat to make sure the sesame seeds don't burn. It should take several minutes per side.

Serve the tofu over mixed greens. Top each salad plate with peanuts and scallions to taste (1-2 tablespoons each per salad is a good estimate).

Drizzle spicy peanut dressing over salad and serve.

Disclaimer: I was compensated for creating a recipe to use with the EZ Tofu Press. As always, all opinions are my own!

This is crazy. Just yesterday I made tofu and I have a tofu press and it was in use and I needed to press another block. And I loooooove peanut sauce tofu! I put a recipe for it in my cookbook! Your pics are stunning and great giveaway!

I have a toasted sesame tofu recipe that I’ve used for years that is very similar to yours that is terrific. But I think my favorite recipe is a using tofu is a chocolate pudding recipe that uses tofu. IT’s sinfully delicious!

I have a toasted sesame tofu recipe that I’ve used for years that is very similar to yours that is terrific. But I think my favorite recipe is a using tofu is a chocolate pudding recipe that uses tofu. IT’s sinfully delicious!

Not yet. I plan on doing a how-to post sometime next week so that everyone’s tofu (hopefully) comes out the perfect amount of crispiness! I know that cooking tofu can be a challenge for people who are new to it.

I press tofu in slices between towels same as I have done 35 or so years. I have never
tried a whole block at once. This would be nice, make the tofu more versatile if you want
chunks or cubes in a larger size.

Wow, that’s cool! I’ve been looking for something to help me press tofu. There used to be a store with a deli next to my old work site. They had the best tofu salad. The tofu was very dense and took the marinade well. This looks like it would do that for me. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Jen, I usually skip over product review/giveaway posts, but your photo of ‘pressing tofu before’ sucked me in, and I stuck around to read and enter. Glad I did! I sure understand how a tool can make life in the kitchen so. much. easier. (says the woman who’s been making pesto and hummus like crazy lately and kisses her food processor).
I like a Thai marinated tofu as an appetizer, and pressing the tofu first really helps.
Thanks!

As a vegetarian, I would LOVE this tofu press. Pressing tofu is just about the worst and most time-consuming (and paper towel-consuming) thing ever. My favorite tofu recipe is…pretty much any kind of stir fry. I’ve also been wanting to make a tofu steak sometime soon!

Hi Jen! I love tofu and I was totally captivated by your beautiful tofu salad photo. I marinated two blocks of tofu according to your recipe and prepared the salad for dinner tonight. I tell you, it was absolutely amazing! The spicy peanut sauce and the fried marinated tofu with the toasted sesame seeds are so yummy I didn’t have to add peanuts and scallions on top. Well done both on the photography and recipe! Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed it to the fullest!

oh my gawd! I can’t believe there is a contraption that does this!!! ?? crazy awesome. . I also spend way too long trying to do this with paper towels all the time . . you need to do a giveaway for this!!! thanks for the product review!

Jen, I got so excited with this recipe that I bought the tofu press online and got it shipped all the way to Australia! And it was totes worth it: the press is great and your recipe is amazing! This was clearly the best thing I’ve cooked in a long time. The peanut sauce is to die for: I’m thinking about serving it with noodles. Thanks heaps for the recipe!

Hi, I’m Jen

I’m a Maryland native living just outside of Washington DC. I graduated from culinary school in 2010 and have been cooking and baking professionally ever since. My goal at Savory Simple is to create everyday gourmet recipes that are easy to prepare at home. Thanks for visiting!

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